It is well-recognized, in the crawling-insect control art, that one common means of access of crawling insects and the like into a dwelling or office building is via openings such as open sewer pipes, drain lines such as from showers, bath tubs and sinks, and the like.
Use of aerosol insecticidal compositions, for insect-control purposes, is well known. For example, British Pat. No. 1,107,104 (to Mitchell et al.) discloses an aerosol-dispensed, insecticidally-active composition which is applied as a spray. Specifically, Mitchell et al. teach producing a mist that is formulated to remain air-borne for a desired period of time. In the art, such a mist-type aerosol insecticide is referred to as a "flying insect killer" or FIK-type insecticide. In contradistinction, the instant bioactive composition, when dispensed as an aerosol, is formulated to be applied onto a surface, and further, is specifically formulated to adhere effectively and substantially to that surface.
Use of repellent compositions, for insect-control purposes, is also well known. For example, Japanese Pat. Document No. 141375 (to Mikasa) teaches such compositions. In particular, the Mikasa disclosure teaches an aerosol-dispensible composition that is used for repelling a wide variety of organisms, including insects. Still more particularly, the Mikasa composition is disclosed as comprising an original tacky solution. In contradistinction, the bioactive composition of the present invention is generally not tacky to the touch, but rather is slippery.
Throughout my patent application, certain terms will be defined and otherwise utilized for purposes of conciseness, and for purposes of elucidating the features and advantages of the present invention. One of these terms is defined hereinbelow.
The term "residuality" as used herein, in reference to a bioactive composition, means to leave an active ingredient-containing residue such as a film on a surface. Typically, the residue includes, in addition to the active ingredient, a number of other ingredients. In the broad sense, the term "residuality" as used herein relates to the residue, including the active ingredient, that is left on the surface, and which is able to maintain its activity for extended periods of time, i.e. up to six weeks and even more, even though there is a breakdown or decomposition of the residue, including the active ingredient, over time due to exposure to sunlight and the like.
Many conventional bioactive compositions, such as those known in the art as "crawling insect killers" (or CIK-type insecticides), whether solvent-based or water based, generally leave (on the surface onto which they are applied) only the bioactive ingredients and very little residue or film (exclusive of the active ingredients), for binding the bioactive ingredient to the surface. One problem that is met, of course, is that very little of the bioactive ingredient remains on the surface for an extended period of time, relative to the total amount of bioactive composition that is utilized. Unfortunately, most bioactive compositions of this type (i.e. CIKs that are formulated to leave a residue) tend to sag, and some even tend to run, when applied to a substantially vertical surface. While a sagging bioactive composition may be visually unacceptable to most consumers, bioactive compositions that run down a sloped surface are not only messy but generally ineffective for intended purposes as well.
Accordingly, bioactive compositions that effectively adhere to a surface for extended periods of time, while retaining a high degree of residuality, are currently in demand. Surprisingly, I have discovered a bioactive composition that not only substantially and effectively adheres to a surface for an extended period of time while retaining a high degree of residuality, but the surface-applied bioactive ingredient-containing residue is itself sufficiently slippery to crawling insects and the like as to provide a positive barrier for control of these crawling pests.